Daily News Update, Dec. 18, 2007

Commissioner Staples urges Texas producers to be counted
 

Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples urges Texas farmers and ranchers to be on the lookout for a 2007 Census of Agriculture questionnaire and to promptly complete and return the survey by the Feb. 4, 2008, deadline.

"Texas agriculture reached a milestone in 2007–for the first time ever we estimated farmers, ranchers and agribusinesses generated more than $100 billion in the state's economy," Commissioner Staples said. "We can be proud Texas has one of the most diverse agricultural industries in the world, and the Census of Agriculture is an excellent opportunity for us to showcase the incredible array of commodities coming from our fields, pastures, orchards, vineyards and rangelands."

Conducted every five years by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Census is a complete count of the nation's farms and ranches and the people who operate them. The Census looks at land use and ownership, operator characteristics, production practices and producer income and expenses.

The Texas Field Office of the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service will mail Census questionnaires the last week of December. Producers can complete the questionnaire online through a secure Web site or return it in the envelope provided by Feb. 4, 2008.

"The Census of Agriculture provides information that is not available anywhere else—information that directly impacts agricultural producers and their communities in untold ways," said David Abbe, director of the Texas Field Office.

"Federal lawmakers use Census data to develop agricultural and rural programs, and community planners use the information to target needed services to rural residents," Abbe said. "In addition, companies rely on Census data to locate their operations."

Producers receiving a Census questionnaire are required by law to return the form even if they did not operate a farm or ranch in 2007. The same law also guarantees strict confidentiality of the reported information, which is not shared with any other state or federal agency.

"The Census is about the future of Texas agriculture and our rural communities," Commissioner Staples said. "Taking time to complete the questionnaire will help shape the way agricultural policies can meet your changing needs. The Census is your voice in Texas, and you need to be heard."

For more information on the 2007 Census of Agriculture, contact the Texas Field Office at (800) 626-3142, or go to www.agcensus.usda.gov .